Opening Session 1: Lauren Kim (Founder, Program Director, and Webmaster), Allison Kim (Associate Director and Director of Outreach), Dr. Jason Kim (Advisor), and Becky Barnett (Director, ADA)
Session 2: Introduction to Diabetes by Dr. Jason Kim (University of Massachusetts Medical School)

The Diabetes Virtual Summer Camp 2021 celebrated its 1-year anniversary with today’s Session 1 - Opening Session where Lauren Kim (Founder, Director, and Webmaster) and Allison Kim (Associate Director and Outreach) welcomed 354 interns from all around the world and shared our goals for the program. This was followed by Ms. Becky Barnnett welcoming our students on behalf of the American Diabetes Association. Our Expert Session kicked off with Session 2 - “Introduction to Diabetes,” where Dr. Jason Kim (Advisor and Professor of Molecular Medicine at University of Massachusetts Medical School) discussed the different types of diabetes with diagnostic criteria, characteristic features of type 1 and type 2 diabetes, diabetic complications, the importance of glucose homeostasis with insulin action and secretion, and the major role of insulin resistance in the development of type 2 diabetes. Dr. Kim also shared his insights on how to prevent and manage type 2 diabetes using lifestyle modifications (healthy diet and exercise) and different types of drugs currently in use to treat diabetes. The Opening Session ended with many bright questions from our students. We are excited to meet our interns from all across the world to better understand diabetes and inspire our next generation of physicians and scientists.

Opening Session 1: Lauren Kim (Founder, Program Director, and Webmaster) welcomes our interns and shares our program goals.

Opening Session 1: Allison Kim (Associate Director and Director of Outreach) welcomes our interns and introduces our program schedule.

Opening Session 1: Becky Barnett from the American Diabetes Association welcomes our interns.

Session 2: Introduction to Diabetes by Dr. Jason Kim (Professor of Molecular Medicine, Professor of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism, and Diabetes, Director of Metabolic Disease Research Center, MD/PhD Admissions Committee, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School). Dr. Kim welcomes our DVSC Interns.

Session 2: Introduction to Diabetes by Dr. Jason Kim (University of Massachusetts Medical School). This session introduces the topic of diabetes: different types and diagnostic criteria of diabetes, characteristic features of type 1 and type 2 diabetes, diabetic complications, importance of glucose homeostasis and how insulin regulates our glucose levels, and insulin resistance and its role in development of type 2 diabetes. The session further discusses how to prevent and manage type 2 diabetes using lifestyle modifications (healthy diet and exercise) and different types of drugs that are used to treat diabetes.

Session 3: Fructose, Sucrose and Diabetes by Dr. Richard Lee (Harvard Medical School)
Session 4: Why Moms and Dads Should Exercise: New Discoveries of How Increased Physical Activity May Help Prevent Diabetes by Dr. Laurie Goodyear (Harvard Medical School)

Our student interns of Diabetes Virtual Summer Camp 2021 were treated to amazing presentations by two renowned scientists in the field of metabolism and exercise science. We began with Session 3 – “Fructose, Sucrose and Diabetes” which was led by Dr. Richard Lee (Professor of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology at Harvard University) who shared an important historical perspective on the increasing dietary consumption of fructose, how fructose is metabolized in our body, and why sugar-containing beverages are bad for our health. This was followed by Session 4 – “Why Moms and Dads Should Exercise: New Discoveries of How Increased Physical Activity May Help Prevent Diabetes,” led by Dr. Laurie Goodyear (Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School) who discussed a dangerous trend of increasing maternal obesity and its detrimental effects on offspring health and the important beneficial role of parental exercise on the improved metabolic health of children. Our Experts were so kind to stay and answer a long list of outstanding questions from our students. In all, we had exciting scientific sessions highlighting the important role of diets and exercise in the prevention of obesity and type 2 diabetes.

Session 3: Fructose, Sucrose and Diabetes by Dr. Richard Lee (Professor of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard Stem Cell Inrtitute, Harvard University, and Professor of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School). Dr. Lee welcomes our DVSC Interns

Session 3: Fructose, Sucrose and Diabetes by Dr. Richard Lee (Harvard Medical School). This session discusses fructose as an important sugar in our daily lives, and how fructose can influence glucose metabolism. We will address basic mechanisms of fructose metabolism, and how fructose is similar to glucose but very different in some settings.

Session 4: Why Moms and Dads Should Exercise: New Discoveries of How Increased Physical Activity May Help Prevent Diabetes by Dr. Laurie Goodyear (Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Section Head and Senior Investigator, Joslin Diabetes Center)

Session 4: Why Moms and Dads Should Exercise: New Discoveries of How Increased Physical Activity May Help Prevent Diabetes by Dr. Laurie Goodyear (Harvard Medical School). Dr. Goodyear welcomes our DVSC Interns.

Session 4: Why Moms and Dads Should Exercise: New Discoveries of How Increased Physical Activity May Help Prevent Diabetes by Dr. Laurie Goodyear. When a father or mother is obese or has type 2 diabetes before or at the time of pregnancy, their children are more likely to develop obesity and type 2 diabetes when the children become adults. Because so many people of child bearing age are currently obese, this is leading to a vicious cycle of obesity and diabetes in the US and throughout the world. We all know that regular exercise is good for us, but could exercise also be used to help moms and dads alleviate this increased risk of disease for their children? In this presentation, I will discuss some of our recent research studies in mice and humans investigating the role that exercise may play in preventing this worldwide health crisis of increased transmission of obesity and type 2 diabetes to subsequent generations.

Session 5: Many Faces of Insulin and Diabetes by Dr. Gökhan S. Hotamisligil (Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health)
Session 6: A Tiny Population of Neurons in the Hypothalamus Has Big Effects on Systemic Metabolism by Dr. Malcolm J. Low (University of Michigan Medical School)

The Diabetes Virtual Summer Camp 2021 continued with more blockbuster sessions today, starting with Session 5 – “Many Faces of Insulin and Diabetes” which was led by Dr. Gokhan Hotamisligil (Professor of Genetics and Metabolism at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health) who began his presentation with an incredible story behind the discovery of insulin 100 years ago and shared his exciting research on the hormonal actions of fatty acid binding protein in metabolism and its role as a central mediator of metabolic disease. This was followed by Session 6 – “A Tiny Population of Neurons in the Hypothalamus Has Big Effects on Systemic Metabolism” by Dr. Malcolm Low (Professor of Physiology and Internal Medicine at University of Michigan Medical School) who presented fascinating biology behind neuronal regulation of feeding behavior involving pro-opiomelanocortin neurons and their role in leptin resistance and obesity. As always, our Experts kindly entertained many of our interns’ astute questions during the Question & Answer Period, moderated by Lauren and Allison Kim. It was indeed another day of exciting scientific sessions highlighting the important role of our adipose tissue and brain in regulating hormonal actions with disruption leading to obesity and metabolic disease.

Session 5: Many Faces of Insulin and Diabetes by Dr. Gökhan S. Hotamisligil (James Stevens Simmons Professor of Genetics and Metabolism and Director, Sabri Ulker Center for Nutrient, Genetic and Metabolic Research, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health). Dr. Hotamisligil welcomes our interns.

Session 5: Many Faces of Insulin and Diabetes by Dr. Gokhan Hotamisligil (Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health). The discovery of insulin, 100 years ago, as a pancreatic hormone that regulates glucose and its therapeutic power in diabetes were groundbreaking developments. The impact of these discoveries were so big that this framework dominated the field for a century. We will discuss hormones that are not insulin and actions that are not glucose regulation which are critical for understanding metabolism and treating diabetes.

Session 5: Many Faces of Insulin and Diabetes by Dr. Gokhan Hotamisligil. Dr. Hotamisligil addresses questions from our DVSC Interns

Session 6: A Tiny Population of Neurons in the Hypothalamus Has Big Effects on Systemic Metabolism by Dr. Malcolm Low (David F. Bohr Collegiate Professor of Physiology, Professor of Internal Medicine, and Director, Michigan Mouse Metabolic Phenotyping Center, University of Michigan Medical School)

Session 6: A Tiny Population of Neurons in the Hypothalamus Has Big Effects on Systemic Metabolism by Dr. Malcolm Low (University of Michigan Medical School) Dr. Low welcomes our DVSC Interns.

Session 6: A Tiny Population of Neurons in the Hypothalamus Has Big Effects on Systemic Metabolism by Dr. Malcolm Low. A century ago, scientists discovered a hormone released from the frog pituitary gland that regulates the pigmentation of tadpoles. They called it melanocyte stimulating hormone or MSH. Decades later it was discovered that MSH, adrenocorticotropin (ACTH), which stimulates the adrenal glands to secrete cortisol, and the opioid peptide beta-endorphin are all produced from a single prohormone in the hypothalamus as well as in the pituitary gland. MSH has many essential functions in the brain including the control of appetite, energy balance and activity of the sympathetic nervous system. I will discuss how the genetic loss of brain MSH causes a unique obesity syndrome and accompanying metabolic disturbances in humans, mice and Labrador retrievers.

Session 7: Obesity & Type 2 Diabetes: Marriage Made in Clinic by Dr. Jason Kim (University of Massachusetts Medical School)

The Diabetes Virtual Summer Camp 2021 continued today with Session 7 – “Obesity & Type 2 Diabetes: Marriage Made in Clinic,” where Dr. Jason Kim (Professor of Molecular Medicine and Medicine at University of Massachusetts Medical School) shared the historical perspective on the causal relationship between obesity and type 2 diabetes and its evolving paradigms with new molecular mechanisms involving inflammation and cytokines. Dr. Kim further discussed his exciting research on targeting inflammation to treat insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes and the clash between diabetes and COVID-19. In all, this session highlighted the important role of inflammation in obesity and type 2 diabetes, a topic most relevant to the current COVID-19 pandemic that is fueled by the high prevalence of obesity.

Session 7: Obesity & Type 2 Diabetes: Marriage Made in Clinic by Dr. Jason Kim (Professor of Molecular Medicine, Professor of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism, and Diabetes, and Director of National Mouse Metabolic Phenotyping Center at UMass, University of Massachusetts Medical School)

Session 7: Obesity & Type 2 Diabetes: Marriage Made in Clinic by Dr. Jason Kim (University of Massachusetts Medical School). This session introduces the topic of obesity and its role in type 2 diabetes: why we are so prone to become obese and what may drive the current obesity pandemic, and hormonal regulation of body weight. The session further discusses how obesity is a major cause of type 2 diabetes, current paradigms explaining the molecular link, aging and diabetes, and the clash between diabetes and COVID-19 involving inflammation. The session ends with a discussion on lessons from the past on how we have failed to control obesity, and what we must do now and in future to prevent obesity and type 2 diabetes.

Session 8: NIH Support for Diabetes Researchers and People with Diabetes by Dr. Maren Laughlin (National Institutes of Health)
Session 9: Islet Cells: At the Center Stage of Glucose Control and Diabetes Management by Dr. Ernesto Bernal-Mizrachi (University of Miami Miller School of Medicine)

A very special day for Diabetes Virtual Summer Camp 2021! Our student interns were greeted by a very special guest, Dr. Maren Laughlin (Senior Advisor for Integrative Metabolism, National Institutes of Health) who led Session 8 – “NIH Support for Diabetes Researchers and People with Diabetes” where she introduced the critical role that National Institutes of Health play to support scientific advancement for improving human health. Dr. Laughlin further highlighted how the National Institutes of Health is responding to the current COVID-19 pandemic by increasing the research budget, provided an interesting overview of how research grants are funded to a community of biomedical scientists, and shared inclusive training opportunities for students at all academic levels by the National Institutes of Health. This was followed by Session 9 – “Islet Cells: At the Center Stage of Glucose Control and Diabetes Management,” led by Dr. Ernesto Bernal-Mizrachi (Professor of Medicine and Chief of Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine) who shared exciting science behind islet cells that produce insulin and how they adapt during the progression of type 2 diabetes and research showing the important role of glucagon in diabetes.

Session 8: NIH Support for Diabetes Researchers and People with Diabetes by Dr. Maren Laughlin (Senior Advisor for Integrative Metabolism, Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology, and Metabolic Diseases, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health)

Session 8: NIH Support for Diabetes Researchers and People with Diabetes by Dr. Maren Laughlin (National Institutes of Health). Dr. Laughlin welcomes our DVSC Interns.

Session 8: NIH Support for Diabetes Researchers and People with Diabetes by Dr. Maren Laughlin. This session will provide an overview of the NIH, its roles in providing health information for patients, funding research that provides health information as well as new therapies for diabetes, and training for young researchers. Its relationship to the US government, universities, the American people, and researchers around the world will be described.

Session 9: Islet Cells: At the Center Stage of Glucose Control and Diabetes Management by Dr. Ernesto Bernal-Mizrachi (University of Miami Miller School of Medicine)

Session 9: Islet Cells: At the Center Stage of Glucose Control and Diabetes Management by Dr. Ernesto Bernal-Mizrachi (Professor of Medicine, Chief of Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism, and Deputy Director of Beta Cell Biology and Signal Transduction, Diabetes Research Institute, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine and Miami VA Health Care System)

Session 9: Islet Cells: At the Center Stage of Glucose Control and Diabetes Management by Dr. Ernesto Bernal-Mizrachi (University of Miami Miller School of Medicine). The pancreatic islet is composed of multiple endocrine cells. Most of the work is focused on the beta-cell, presenting glucose control and diabetes as a unihormonal disorder. Contrary to this current approach, clinical data and animal experiments have shown that glucagon secretion by alpha-cells and somatostatin from delta-cells play a role in glucose control and are dysregulated in the pathogenesis of hyperglycemia in type 1 and type 2 diabetes. My laboratory has been exploring how insulin signaling regulates the function and mass of beta and alpha cells in vivo and the potential contribution of this process to the regulation of glucose homeostasis.

Session 10: One Scientist’s Journey - Following My Heart and Listening to My Gut by Dr. Maureen Anne Gannon (Vanderbilt University School of Medicine)
Session 11: Preparing for Medical School & Scientific Career by Dr. Jason K. Kim (University of Massachusetts Medical School)

The Diabetes Virtual Summer Camp 2021 came to an end with spectacular finale sessions starting with Session 10 – “One Scientist’s Journey – Following My Heart and Listening to My Gut” which was led by Dr. Maureen Gannon (Professor of Medicine, Cell & Developmental Biology, and Molecular Physiology & Biophysics, Associate Dean of Faculty Development, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine). Dr. Gannon began by sharing her personal story, one that is most humble, resilient, and triumphant, and has led her to become a successful leader in diabetes research. She then shared her exciting research on beta-cell regulation and novel strategies to enhance beta-cell survival in diabetes.Session 8 & 9: Dr. Maren Laughlin (National Institutes of Health) and Dr. Ernesto Bernal-Mizrachi (University of Miami Miller School of Medicine).

A very special day for Diabetes Virtual Summer Camp 2021! Our student interns were greeted by a very special guest, Dr. Maren Laughlin (Senior Advisor for Integrative Metabolism, National Institutes of Health) who led Session 8 – “NIH Support for Diabetes Researchers and People with Diabetes” where she introduced the critical role that National Institutes of Health play to support scientific advancement for improving human health. Dr. Laughlin further highlighted how the National Institutes of Health is responding to the current COVID-19 pandemic by increasing the research budget, provided an interesting overview of how research grants are funded to a community of biomedical scientists, and shared inclusive training opportunities for students at all academic levels by the National Institutes of Health. This was followed by Session 9 – “Islet Cells: At the Center Stage of Glucose Control and Diabetes Management,” led by Dr. Ernesto Bernal-Mizrachi (Professor of Medicine and Chief of Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine) who shared exciting science behind islet cells that produce insulin and how they adapt during the progression of type 2 diabetes and research showing the important role of glucagon in diabetes.

This was followed by Session 11 – “Preparing for Medical School and Scientific Career,” where Dr. Jason Kim (Professor of Molecular Medicine and Professor of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Diabetes, MD/PhD Admissions Committee, University of Massachusetts Medical School) discussed how high school and college students can explore their interests in medicine and science and how college curriculum and extracurricular activities can be organized to prepare for medical school. He also shared his insights from serving on the medical school admissions committee for more than 20 years (at Yale, Penn State, and UMass) by presenting an overview of the medical school admissions process, application and interview process, a glance at clinical fellowship curriculum, and a day in the life of an academic professor engaged in research, teaching, and various committees for national and international organizations.

Session 10: One Scientist’s Journey – Following My Heart and Listening to My Gut by Dr. Maureen Gannon (Vanderbilt University School of Medicine)

Session 10: One Scientist’s Journey - Following My Heart and Listening to My Gut by Dr. Maureen Gannon (Professor of Medicine, Cell & Developmental Biology, and Molecular Physiology & Biophysics, and Associate Dean of Faculty Development, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine). Dr. Gannon welcomes our DVSC Interns.

Session 10: One Scientist’s Journey – Following My Heart and Listening to My Gut by Dr. Maureen Gannon (Vanderbilt University School of Medicine). The goal of my presentation is to discuss how your life’s experiences shape who you are. I will discuss the importance of having great mentors and making the most of opportunities and curve balls that come your way. I will also talk about following where the science takes you and not being afraid to learn new things. I will end by describing the main biological questions and methods that my lab addresses and utilizes in our attempts to find therapies to prevent and treat diabetes.

Session 11: Preparing for Medical School and Scientific Career by Dr. Jason Kim (University of Massachusetts Medical School)

Session 11: Preparing for Medical School and Scientific Career by Dr. Jason Kim (Professor of Molecular Medicine, Professor of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism, and Diabetes, MD/PhD Admissions Committee, University of Massachusetts Medical School) (former member of MD Admissions Committee at Yale University School of Medicine and Penn State College of Medicine)

Session 11: Preparing for Medical School and Scientific Career by Dr. Jason Kim (University of Massachusetts Medical School). This session introduces how high school and college students can explore their interests in science and medicine, and how college curriculum and extracurricular activities can be organized to prepare for medical school and graduate school. The session further presents a bird’s-eye view of the medical school and graduate school admissions process. The session ends with a discussion on what to expect and what challenges lie ahead in a winding path to a career in academic medicine and research, and the passion and service that define this lifelong profession.

Session 12: Closing Session by Lauren Kim (Founder, Program Director, and Webmaster), Allison Kim (Associate Director and Director of Outreach), Dr. Jason Kim (Advisor), and American Diabetes Association

On this last day of Diabetes Virtual Summer Camp 2021, our student interns were greeted to a special appearance by Ms. Tracey Brown (Chief Executive Officer, American Diabetes Association) whose passionate speech, sharing her own personal story of living with type 2 diabetes and her strong commitment to improving diabetes research and care, was most inspiring to our students. This was followed by yet another special appearance by Dr. Marlon Pragnell (Vice President of Research & Science, American Diabetes Association) who shared important information about various research programs, scientific conferences, clinical trials, and innovations that are supported by the American Diabetes Association.

After 12 exciting sessions, the Diabetes Virtual Summer Camp 2021 reached the Closing Session that began with Lauren Kim and Allison Kim, on behalf of the Diabetes Virtual Camp, thanking our amazing student interns from all over the world for their steadfast interests and growing passion for diabetes, and for their generous contributions to support diabetes research, education, and care. This was followed by heartfelt closing remarks from Becky Barnett and Dr. Alicia Harper from the American Diabetes Association, sharing their personal stories of living with type 1 diabetes for more than 25 years and thanking our student interns for their support of the American Diabetes Association.

In all, our Diabetes Virtual Camp and the American Diabetes Association are working together to support exciting research and important education to inspire the next generation of physicians and scientists, sharing our mission to improve diabetes care and to find a cure for diabetes.

A special appearance by Ms. Tracey Brown (Chief Executive Officer, American Diabetes Association). Ms. Brown welcomes our DVSC Interns.

Ms. Brown shares her own personal story of living with type 2 diabetes and her strong commitment to improving diabetes research and care.

A special appearance by Dr. Marlon Pragnell (Vice President of Research & Science, American Diabetes Association). Dr. Pragnell welcomes our DVSC Interns.

Dr. Pragnell shares important information about various research programs, scientific conferences, clinical trials, and innovations that are supported by the American Diabetes Association.

Closing Session of Diabetes Virtual Summer Camp 2021: Our Diabetes Virtual Camp and the American Diabetes Association are working together to support exciting research and important education to inspire the next generation of physicians and scientists, sharing our mission to improve diabetes care and to find a cure for diabetes.

Lauren Kim (Founder, Program Director, and Webmaster) and Allison Kim (Associate Director and Director of Outreach), on behalf of the Diabetes Virtual Camp, thank our amazing student interns from all over the world for their steadfast interests and growing passion for diabetes, and for their generous contributions to support diabetes research, education, and care.

Heartfelt closing remarks from Becky Barnett and Dr. Alicia Harper from the American Diabetes Association, sharing their personal stories of living with type 1 diabetes for more than 25 years and thanking our student interns for their support of the American Diabetes Association.